ROSH HASHANAH - Kindergarten and First Grade

ROSH HASHANAH -- Kindergarten and First Grade

I do not talk about Rosh Hashanah in Kindergarten classes, but rather wait until First Grade. The following Rosh Hashanah script is simple enough for Kindergarteners to understand, and the choice is yours, but here are my reasons to postpone. it.

Kindergarten is the first group schooling for many children, so the beginning of the school year can be hectic if not wild for both students and teachers. Rosh Hashanah occurs near the beginning of the school year and many Kindergarten children have not yet learned school routines or proper classroom behavior. Until they learn these, the children are less likely to be attentive listeners. While the teachers are trying to instill these behaviors, the teachers are less likely to appreciate parental interruptions or changes to routines.

On a more philosophical note: for this age group, calendars, let alone differing calendars, can be difficult. Likewise, atonement and new years' resolutions can seem quite abstract. Holidays which celebrate specific events (like Hanukkah, Passover, Christmas and Easter) are more concrete and accessible.

Scheduling: Because it is so near the beginning of the school year, you may have to talk to the teacher about scheduling your presentation in the first several days of school.

Materials: Paper plates, napkins, serving plate, apples (1 for each 6 listeners), a knife to cut the apples, honey in a squeeze bottle, honey cake (optional). WHEN MAKING A COUNT, DON'T FORGET THE TEACHERS AND TEACHERS' AIDES.

Wash and dry the apples before you go to school, but don't cut them. Apples should be cut at school so they don't turn brown. Before you begin, ask the teacher or the teacher's aide to prepare them while you talk. Six slices per apple are put on the serving plate, then a little honey squeezed on each slice.

Honey cake (or apple cake if you prefer) can be pre-cut at home. Kosher honey cake can be purchased at most supermarkets. Slices do not have to be bigger than 1" squares that are only 1/4" thick (or less). Remember that these are little kids, you are only providing a taste, and many will be picky and refuse to taste anything new. (It's OK if any of the kids, including your own children don't want to try the foods you bring.)

START OF PRESENTATION

Hello, I am Michael's dad. (Please insert your child's name and your relationship to the child, such as "John's mom" or "Rifka's grandpa.")

I'm here today to talk with you about a Jewish holiday that we will celebrate next Monday. (Please insert the actual weekday on which the holiday occurred or will occur, such as "last Thursday" or "two weeks from now.")

The holiday is called Rosh Hashanah -- the Jewish New Year. Rosh Hashanah. Those two words aren't English. they are two words in the Hebrew language that mean "the beginning of the year." The Hebrew word "rosh" means "head" or "beginning." The Hebrew word "shanah" means "year." So "Rosh Hashanah" means "the beginning of the year."

Can we all say "Rosh Hashanah" together?

ROSH HASHANAH

Very good.

CALENDARS

Maybe you remember celebrating New Year's, last winter, just after Christmas. On January 1.

Why doesn't everyone have the same New Year?

Long ago, before radio, or TV, or cars or airplanes. Long before Jesus was born. People learned to tell time. They learned to tell the difference in the seasons: summer, fall, winter and spring. And they invented calendars.

Different people in different parts of the world invented different calendars. They used those calendars to remember when to plant their gardens in the spring, and when to pick apples in the fall. They used calendars to remember when to celebrate holidays, like Thanksgiving.

These different calendars started at different times. For example, the Chinese calendar has a New Year celebration usually in what we call February. The Islamic calendar has a New Year at a different time in the year. The Celtic peoples celebrated the New Year at Halloween.

The Jewish calendar has its New Year celebration in the fall. Jewish people still use that calendar to remember when to celebrate the special Jewish holidays.

CELEBRATIONS

The Jewish New Year isn't celebrated by going to parties. Jewish people celebrate their New Year by going to prayer services at their temples and synagogues. The way you might go to church on Easter.

Jewish people go to their synagogues to pray. To think about the year just past. What they did right and what they did wrong. To think about how they could be better people. And to pray that they can be better people in the year to come.

GREETINGS

On the Jewish New Year, you don't just say "Happy New Year." There are special greetings.

One of these greetings is in Hebrew; "L'shanah tovah." This means, I hope you have a good year. In Hebrrew the word "tovah" means "good." And remember, that in Hebrew the word "shanah" means "year." So "L'shanah tovah" means "For a good year."

Can we all say "L'shanah tovah" together?

L'SHANAH TOVAH.

Very good.

Instead of a "good" year, people sometimes say, "Have a sweet and healthy year."

This is not a gift giving holiday like Christmas. But sometimes one family will send another some fruit or honey.

FOODS

Many holidays have special foods: like turkey at Thanksgiving. Can any of you think of holidays with special foods? (Take the children's comments.)

To celebrate Rosh Hashanah, Jewish people will have some apple dipped in honey, as a wish for a sweet new year. (Pass out apples drizzled with honey.)

Sometimes they have a honey cake, or apple cake for the same reason. (Pass out tiny slices of cake.)

You don't have to eat the apples or cake if you don't want to.

SUMMARY

Today I've told you about Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. It is a time to be thankful for the good things in the past year and a time to promise to be a better person in the year to come.

You have been a good audience.

Do you have any questions? (Take questions.) Thank you for listening so well.